Step It Up

Like the ball dropping at Times Square and the singing of “Auld Lang Syne,” vowing to get into shape has become, for many, a New Year’s tradition.

There is much to be said for going to a health club to begin a fitness regimen, but there may be as many convincing arguments for working out at home. Membership fees and the company of fellow gym-goers, which sometimes serve as incentives for joining a public facility, also can serve as powerful encouragement to stay behind closed doors.

For those who choose home-based fitness, there is no shortage of barbells, weight machines and cardiovascular equipment, ranging from simple to overly complex, available on the market. Indeed, fitness and sporting goods stores can be overwhelming for novices of at-home exercise.

To help streamline the selection process, we visited a few shops for some advance scouting on treadmills.

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Even with the popularity of electronic stair climbers, stationary bicycles, ski machines and rowing machines, the motorized treadmill is still at the top of many home fitness shopping lists. However, with a wide range of functions, designs and prices (from less than $200 to more than $4,000) finding the right treadmill can take almost as much effort as using one.

“Treadmills are definitely the most favored piece of equipment throughout the industry,” said Ross Palmer, a salesman at the Fitness Scene equipment sales and service shop in Ventura. “It’s the most natural movement, walking. Our bodies were designed to walk.”

It’s advisable to choose a treadmill you will want to use over and over and one that will hold up under repeated use, year after year.

The treadmills at Fitness Scene, which specializes in exercise equipment, range from $1,500 to $4,000, with most sales coming from models in the $2,000 to $3,000 range, Palmer said.

At Sportmart in Oxnard, most treadmills ranged from $199.99 to $799.99, on sale through Sunday. A Life Fitness model treadmill with a heart-rate monitor was selling for $1,699.99. And at Oxnard’s Sport Chalet, treadmills ranged from $399.97 to $1,299.99.

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The price range on treadmills is based on a variety of factors, including durability of the frame, power of the motor that drives the machine and durability, cushion and support of the walking deck.

If you are planning a long-term commitment to your machine, a high-quality treadmill, which can last more than a decade (twice as long as the cheaper models), might be worth the extra initial cost.

“It has to have a good, solid frame, not flexible, not wobbly,” Palmer said. “The $1,500-and-above frames are welded or constructed in such a way that they have a very solid feel. They’re not wiggly when you walk on them.”

Solid frames bend less under pressure, so the rollers on the treadmill remain parallel to each other and allow for an even track.

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Palmer said the durability and strength of the motor also should be given serious consideration. Generally, the higher the horsepower, the less the motor has to work and the longer it will last. Manufacturers of the cheaper machines, Palmer said, tend to list the peak horse power of a treadmill motor, while the more upscale brands tend to list the continuous constant horsepower.

A treadmill with a 2.0 peak horsepower motor, selling for less than $400 is not as strong as a higher-end machine with a continuous horsepower of 2.0 (or 4.0 peak) for $1,700 to $3,000, he said.

The durability of a motor is affected not only by its components, but also by the laminate used to move the track over the deck of the treadmill. Palmer said the cheaper models use a thinner laminate than more expensive models. The thicker the coating, the less the belt will wear into the deck of the machine and the less the strain on the motor.

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The trick in purchasing a treadmill is to weigh all these factors, as well as the many bells and whistles offered, and choose the one that best meets your needs.

“They have to buy something that they will use 30 or 40 minutes a day, three times a week,” Palmer said.